Automatic machine-gun.



No. 636,977. Patented Nov. l4, I899. r. M. GARLAND.

AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN.

(Application filed May 24, 1899.)

7 Sheets-Sheet I,

(No Model.)

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F. M. GARLAND.

(Application med May 24, 1899.)

AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN.

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Patented Nov. l4, I899. F. M. GARLAND.

AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN.

(Application filed May 24, 1899.)

7 Sheets-$hebt 3 m: norms PETERS co. wHoToumoAvAsmNoTou. n. c.

No. 636,977. Patented Nov. I4, I899.

F. M. GARLAND.

AUTOMATICMACHINE GUN.

' (Application filed May 24, 1899.) (No Model.) 4 7 Sheets-Sheet 4.

w: NORRIS PETERS co. PHGYO LITNO" \vAsnmcwu, o. c.

No. 636,977. Patented Nov. l4, I899. F. M. GARLAND.

AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN.

' (Application filed May 24, 1899.)

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Patented Nov. l4, I899.

F. m. GARLAND. AUTUMATIC MACHINE GUN.

(Application filed May 24, 1899.)

- 7 Sheets-Sheet 6.

(No Model.)

No. 636,977. Patented Nov. l4, I899.

F. M. GARLAND.

AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN.

(Application filed May 24, 1899.) (No Modal.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 7.

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AUTOMATIC MACHINE-GUN.

SFEOIFICATION forming art er Letters Patent No. 636,977, dated November14, 1899. Application filed May 24, 1899. Serial No. 718,063. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK M. GARLAND, a citizen of the United States,residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Machine-Guns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic machine-gun in which the barrelmoves backwardly when a cartridge is fired and after compressing theoperating-spring is drawn forward by the spring, while the breech-blockmoves farther backward for extracting the exploded shell and permittingthe feeding of another cartridge into position for loading into thebarrel, when the breech block is thrown forward, the breech-block beingreleased for this purpose when the cartridge is properly fed.

The object of this invention is to simplify and make durable themechanisms of such a gun, whereby the action will be positive andreliable.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawingshas a barrel and a connected frame which move backwardly together andcompress a spring when a cartridge is tired. The breech-block, bearingthe spring firing-pin,first moves backwardly with the barrel-frame andthen by means of intermediate mechanisms is moved farther back along theframe away from the breech as the barrel and frame are drawn forwardly.A spring is made tense by the backward movement of the breech-block, anda catch engages parts connected with the breech-block for holding itback against the force of the spring. The hammer, scar, andhammer-spring are borne by the frame, and the hammer is cocked by themovement of the breech-block away from the breech. The cartridges areallowed at the proper time to drop by gravity through the side of thecase onto a transverse feeder that is held in place against the force ofa spring by a latch that is released from a catch by the weight of thedropping cartridge. This feederswings transversely on a pivot andcarries the cartridge into line with the barrel in front of thebreechblock, and as the cartridge reaches the proper line a part of thefeeder engages connections that release the breech-block catch and allowthe block to be thrown forward and push the cartridge that has been fedin front into the breech of the barrel. As the breech-block reaches theforward limit of its movement the trigger engages a part connected withthe finger-pull at the butt of the gun, which if drawn causes thetrigger to disengage the sear from the hammer and allow the hammerspringto throw the hammer and drive forward the pin into the primer of thecartridge that has been loaded into the barrel. The backward movement ofthe breech block opens the passage, so that a following cartridge may bedropped upon the transverse feeder, and a part of the feeder closes thepassage when a cartridge is being placed in front of the breech-blook.The forward movement of the breech-block forces back the feeder intoposition to receive the next cartridge.

Of the views, Figure 1 shows a plan of a gun that embodies theinvention. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation, the end of the barrel beingbroken off and the mount being omitted. Fig. 3 shows an elevationlooking at the butt of the gun. Fig. 4 shows a plan of the mechanisms onlarger scale. Fig. 5 shows a side elevation of the mechanisms. Fig. 6shows a transverse section taken on the plane indicated by the dottedlines A A of Fig. 4, looking toward the front. Fig. 7 shows a transversesection taken on the plane indicated by the dotted lines B B of Fig. 5,looking toward the front. Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating the movementof the breech-block and thelevers connected therewith. Fig. 9 shows anedge View of one form of the frame-yoke. Fig. 10 is a transverse sectionon substantially the same plane as that of Fig. 6, showing a modifiedarrangement of transverse feeder-catch. Fig. 11 is a view of one side ofthe transverse feeder shown in Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a View looking at theother side of the same transverse feeder. Fig. 13 shows a transversesection of the mechanism with still another form of feeder-catch. Fig.14 is a view looking at one side of this feeder. Fig. 15 is an edgeview, with part broken away, of one form of feeder. Fig. 16 is a Viewlooking at one side of this feeder. Fig.

17 is a view looking at the other side of the same; and Fig. 18 is aview with part of the frame broken away and the breech-block cut insection in order to show the relations of the hammer, the sear, thetrigger, the firing-pin, and the extractors.

The case that incloses the mechanisms is octagonal in transverse sectionand is formed with a trunnion-band 1 and a butt-plate 2, between whichextend ribs 3, Figs. 1 and 2. These ribs have undercut grooves, andslidingin the grooves are panels 4, Figs. 6 and 7.

Either or all of these panels may be slid out from the back, so as topermit ready access to the mechanisms contained in the case.

The trunnions 5 are held by boxes 6 at the upper end of the head-yoke'7, that is supported by any suitable mount 8. Held by ears 9, fastenedto the underside of the case at the butt, is a nut 10. Through this nutextends a threaded sleeve 11, that is provided with a hand-wheel12 and aclamp-handle 13. A tube 14 extends from thehead of the mount through thesleeve 11. When the clampinghandle is loosened, the tube maybe slidfreely through the sleeve, so as to permit the muzzle of the barrel tobe elevated or depressed quickly. By turning the hand-wheel a fineelevation or depression may be obtained. At the end of the tube is ahandle 15, and when this is loosened the gun and the head may be freelyrotated upon the mount. Any desired sights 16 and 17 may be attached tothe top of the casing, and a suitable shoulder-piece 18 may be fastenedto the end. A hand-grip 19 is attached to the butt of the case, and thissupports a finger-pull 20, Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

A pair of posts 21 are secured to the front endof the case,and at theouterends of these is a cross-head 22. The barrel 23 is loosely supported by the front end of the case and the cross-head 22, Figs. 1 and2.

An arm 24 is fastened to the barrel, and attached to the arm is a rod25, that extends through the case, and in a cylinder 26 is fastened to apiston 27, Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5. The cylinder 26, which is located in achamber 28 in the upper front end of the case, is open at both ends tothe fluid that fills the chamber. A- valve 29 is supported by theforward end of the case so as to be movable toward and from a passage 30between the ends of the cylinder. This valve is thrust with a yieldingpressure toward the passage 30 by a spring 31 and is limited in itsmovement toward the passage by the end of a rod 32, Fig. 4. This rodextends from the chamber to the butt of the gun, Where it may beconnected with any suitable means for adjusting it lengthwise. Suchmeans form the subject-matter of United States application for patent,Serial No. 714,389, filed by me on April 25, 1899, and are not hereindescribed in detail. When the barrel recoils and the piston is forcedback in the cylinder, the fluid in the chamber opens the valve againstits spring and flows freely from the back to the front end of thecylinder; but the valve will shut as far as the end of the rod willpermit and retard the flow of fluid in the opposite direction, and thisreduces the speed of forward movement of the piston.

Fastened to the frame 33, attached to the breech of the barrel, is a rod34, that on its front end is provided with a nut 35, Fig. 2. On this rodis a spring 36, one end of which thrusts against the nut 35 and theother end thrusts against a collar 37, connected with the upper end of alever 38, Fig. 5. The thrust of this spring between the nut and collarforces the barrel forward, and the power of this thrust depends upon theposition of the collar, which is changed along the rod by the lever asthe elevation or depression of the muzzle of the barrel is altered. Thismechanism forms the subject of United States application forpatent,Serial No. 7l4,511,filed by me on April 26, 1899, and istherefore not herein described in detail.

Movable in a guideway 39 in the frame that is fastened to and is movablewith the barrel is the breech-block 40. A recoil-block 41 is secured tothe rear ends of the yoke 42, which is pivoted to the breech-block.breech-block is home, the yoke-arms hold the recoil-block in line withthe axis of the barrel When the.

against the recoil-shoulder 43, Figs. 5 and 18.

The lower ends of the breech-block yokearms 44 are connected by a rod 45with the lower ends of a yoke 46, that at its upper end is connectedwith the barrel-frame. The frame-yoke is connected near the middle ofits length by links 47 with rocker-arms 48, that are secured on thetranverse shaft 49, the links 47 and the rocker-arms 48 forming a toggleconnection between the shaftand the frame-yoke, Figs. 4, 5, and 8.

A spring 50 is wound upon the shaft 49 in such manner as to rotate theshaft in a direction that will throw the rocker-arms forward. One end ofthis spring is engaged with a stud 51, projecting from a part of thecase, and the other end is engaged with a disk 52, that is adjustablyconnected with the shaft, so that the tension of the spring may beregulated, Figs. 4 and 7.

The force of explosion of a cartridge is transferred from thebreechblock to the re coil-block and the frame, so that the frame andthe connected barrel are driven backwardly. As these parts move backwardtogether and the operating-spring is being compressed the frame-yokemoves backwardly without changing its relation to the other parts. Whenthe parts are moving in this direction,'the links connected with theframeyokes cause the rocker-arms to rotate'upwardly and the toggle-jointto close to the position illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 8. Oneof these rocker-arms is provided with a shoulder 53, Fig. 8, and whenthe arm is up the shoulder is engaged and held by the upper end of afinger 54, projecting from a shaft 55, Figs. 4, 5, and 7. \Vith therocker-arms held in this position the forward movement of the frameunder the pull of the spring causes the frame-yoke to be oscillated tothe position illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 8, and this changeof relation of the parts causes the breech-block yoke to be oscillated,so that the recoil-block is freed from the recoil-shoulder, and then asthe recoil-block moves backward ly in the openin gin the frame thebreech-block is drawn away from the breech, so as to extract theexploded shell and open a passage for the feeding of a followingcartridge, Fig. 8. The breech-block remains back until the rocker-armsare released and the spring upon the shaft throws the arms forward,which action causes the breech-block to be moved close to the breech ofthe barrel and the recoil-block to drop into position in front of therecoil-shoulder, Fig. 8.

The transverse feeder 56 is pivoted upon a stud 57, fastened to thefront end of the case. This feeder has a ridge or shelf 58, that extendsrearwardly beneath the opening 59 through the wall of the case, intowhich the cartridges drop from the feed-case, Figs. 6, 10, and 13.Extending above this shelf is a back 60, and projecting to one side fromthe back edge is a flange 61, that when the feeder is moved to feed acartridge obstructs the passage and prevents the entrance of thefollowing cartridge. The back and shelf of the feeder are shaped toproperly support and carry the cartridges. A spring 62, wound about thestud, Fig. 5, tends to force the upper end of the feeder toward thecenter, so as to carry the cartridges into line with the breech-blockand bore of the barrel.

The engagement of a wedge 63 on the edge of the breech-block with theedge of the shelf, Figs. 6, 10, and 13, when the breech-block movesforward forces the feeder to one side against the pressure of its springinto position to receive a cartridge.

The entire shelf 58 of the feeder upon which the cartridge is droppedmay be hinged to the feeder, as illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14, or onlya part 96 of the shelf may be hinged to the back 60, the part 97 beingfixed to the back, as illustrated in Figs. 10, 11, and 12. If the entireshelf is hinged to the feeder, springs 64, Figs. 13 and 14, may beemployed to hold the inner edge of the shelf raised so that the edgewill engage with a catch-lug 65, that is secured to the front wall ofthe case, Figs. 6, 13, and 14. Then a cartridge drops upon this shelf,its weight is sufficient to depress the inner edge sufficiently for itto become disengaged from the lug, and then the feeder is thrown inwardby its spring and the cartridge which it supports, and that accomplishedthe release is carried into line with the breech-block.

In the form shown in Figs. 10, 11, and 12 a hook 92 projects from theback of the movable part 96 of the shelf and is arranged to engage acatch 93, fastened to the case. The weight of a cartridge will depressthe movable part 96 of this form of shelf against the thrust of thesprings 66 and release the engagement of the catch and latch hooks. Inthe form shown in Figs. 15, 16, and 17 the latch-hook 94 is formed aspart of a lever 67, pivoted to ears projecting from the feeder. Theupper end 93 of the inner part of the lever extends slightly above theimmovable fioor 99 of the shelf, so that it will be depressed by theweight of a cartridge for disengaging the hooks. In all of these formsthe weight of a cartridge dropping upon the movable part of the shelfcauses that part to be depressed, and this releases the latch, so thatthe feeder may be thrown forward to carry the cartridge into line withthe breech-block.

Projecting from the lower end of the feeder is a finger 68, which islocated and arranged to engage a finger 69 when the cartridge is infront of the breech-block and in line with the bore of the barrel, Figs.6, 7, and 13. The

finger 69 projects from the shaft 55, that is provided with the finger54, which engages the shoulder 53 for holding the rocker-arms andkeeping back the breech-block when the barrel and frame are movingforward. The engagement of the finger 68 of the feeder with the finger69 of the shaft 55 rocks that shaft, so that the finger 54 is withdrawnfrom the shoulder, and the rocker-arms are free to move forward underthe impulse of the coiled spring 50 on the shaft 49 and throw thebreechblock home, loading into the barrel the cartridge which has beenplaced in front by the movement of the feeder that released thebreech-block parts.

The trigger-pull 20, supported by the handgrip 19, is connected by a rod70 with a sleeve 71, placed upon the shaft 55. This sleeve is normallythrust forward by a spring 72, and to its forward end an arm 73 isfastened, Figs. 4 and 5.

The trigger 95, which is an angle-lever, is pivotally supported in anopening formed in the rod 45, that joins the breech-block yoke with theframe-yoke. A spring 74, placed in the opening, thrusts the lower end ofthis trigger forward, so that its upper rear end is held down. The scar75 is carried in a mortise in the frame attached to the barrel, and aspring thrusts the rear end 101 of the sear toward the trigger and holdsthe front end 102 of the sear in position to engage the shoulder 103 onthe edge of the hammer-block 76, which is pivoted in the same mortise.The upperend of the hammer extends between the arms of the yoke 42 intothe path of the breech-block 40, and as the breech-block movesbackwardly it forces back the hammer against the thrust of thehammer-spring 77 until the end 102 of the sear engages the shoulder 103and holds the hammer cocked. When the lower end of the trigger is pulledbackwardly, the upper rear end of the trigger will be lifted, so as toraise the end 101 of the sear, and this causes the other end 102 of thesear to be drawn down out of engagement with the shoulder 103, leavingthe hammer free to be thrown for- IIO i seem? wardly by the spring 77for striking the firingpin, Fig. 18.

The lower end of the trigger in its forward movement with the rod 45will engage the arm 73 just after the breech-block reaches its forwardposition and is secured close against the breech of the barrel, if thetrigger-pull is drawn back, and be held in such manner that thecontinued forward movement of the parts will cause the trigger todisengage the sear from the hammer, Fig. 1.8.

The hammer when thrown forward strikes the firing-pin 78, that iscarried in a recess in the breech-block. This firing-pin is thrustforwardly by a spring 104. In longitudinal mortises in the upper andlower edges of the breech-book are extractor-bars 80, that have fingers105 at their front ends for grasping the heads of the cartridges anddrawing the shells out of the barrel when the breech-block movesbackward and opens the breech. A lever 81 is pivoted in an opening inthe breechblock, so that one end enters a slot 106 in the firing-pin andthe other enters a slot 107 in the upper extractor-bar. A spring 79 in arecess in the breech-block forces back a plate 109,

and this by engagement with the hook ends 108 of the extractor-barsdraws the extractorfingers back with a yielding pressure, so as topermit them to grasp the head of the cartridge. When the breech-block isat the backward limit of its movement, the rear ends of theextractor-bars engage with the recoilshoulder 43 and are forced forwardagainst the thrust of the spring 79. This moves the extractor-fingers105 away from the front face of the breech-block, so that the rim of acarfridge-head will surely pass between the fingers and the front of thebreech-block. When the extractor-fingers are moved forward by thecontact of the bars with the recoil-shoulder, the lever 81 draws backthe firing-pin, so that its point will not interfere with the passage ofthe cartridge-head between the extractor fingers and the front wall ofthe breech-block.

After the cartridge-head is in position as the breech-block movesforward for passing it into the breech of the barrel the spring 79 drawsback the extractor-bars, so that the fingers will grasp and hold the rimof the cartridge-head. The backward movement of the upper extractor-barmoves the lever 81, so that the firing-pin will be pressed forward byits spring 104 in position to be driven into a primer when thefiring-pin is struck by the hammer.

Mounted upon the shaft 32, adjacent to the cartridge-feeding opening 59,is a gate 83. A spring 84, coiled about the shaft, holds the gatesufficiently in front of the opening to prevent cartridges from.dropping through onto the transverse feeder at an improper time. Thisgate has an arm 85, that by contact with a portion of the case limitsthe downward movement of the gate. A wedge 86 is formed on a partprojecting from the lower portion of the gate, and this is arranged tobe engaged by an inclined surface on a part 87, that projects from thebreech-block when that block moves backwardly, Figs. 4, 6, 7, 10., and13. The engagementof these parts gives the gate a sufficient movement topermit the dropping of a cartridge through the opening at the propertime upon the shelf of the transverse feeder.

Mounted loosely on the end of the shaft 49, outside of the case, is acrank-handle 88. Pins 89 (shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 4) projectinwardly from the hub of the handle into slots 90, Fig. 5, in theoutside face of the disk 91, that is secured to the end of the shaft.When the handle is turned from front to rear, the pins projecting fromits hub will engage the end walls of the slots in the disk secured tothe shaft and turn the shaft, so as to cause it to draw back thebreech-block. When the breech-block is back, the handle may be turnedfrom back to front without turning the shaft, the slots in the diskbeing long enough for this purpose and also long enough to allow thehandle when in its forward position to remain stationary when the shaftturns from front to back as the gun operates.

I claim as my invention 1. In an automatic machine-gun, in combination,a movable barrel, 2. frame attached to and movable with the barrel, abreech-block movable backward with the barrel and frame, a recoil-blockconnected with the breechblock, a frame-yoke loosely connected with theframe and with the breech and recoil blocks, a spring-shaft, and atoggle connection between the springshaft and the frameyoke,substantially as specified.

2. In an automatic machine-gun, in combination, a movable barrel, aframe attached to and movable with the barrel, a breech-block movablebackward with the barrel and frame, a recoil -block connected with thebreechblock, a frame-yoke loosely connected with the frame and with thebreech and recoil blocks, a spring-shaft, a toggle connection betweenthe spring-shaft and the frame-yoke, a catch for holding thespring-shaft with the spring under tension, and mechanisms for releasingthe catch, substantially as specified.

3. In an automatic machine-gun, in combination, a movable barrel, aframe attached to and movable with the barrel, a breech-block movablebackward with the barrel and frame, a recoil block connected with thebreechblock, means for moving the breech-block backward when the barreland frame move forward, a transverse feeder for receiving the cartridgesand carrying them into line with the breech-block, a catch for retainingthe transverse feeder in position to receive car-' tridges, and a latchconnected with a loose part of the transverse feeder whereby the weightof a cartridge will cause the latch to' be released from the catch,substantially as specified.

4. In an automatic machine-gun, in combination, a movable barrel, aframe attached to and movable with the barrel, a breech-block movablebackward with the barrel and frame, a recoil block connected with thebreechblock, means for moving the breech-block back when the barrel andframe move forward, a catch device for holding the breechblock back, atransverse feeder for receiving cartridges and carrying them into linewith the breech-block, and a connection between the transverse feederand the catch device whereby the movement of the transverse feederdisengages the catch and releases the breech-block, substantially asspecified.

5. In an automatic machine-gun, in combination, a movable barrel, aframe attached to and movable with the barrel, a breech-block movablebackward with the barrel and frame, a recoil block connected with thebreechblock, means for moving the breech-block backward when the barreland frame move forward, a catch device for holding the breechblock back,a transverse feeder for receiving the cartridges and carrying them intoline with the breech-block, a catch for retaining the transverse feederin position to receive cartridges, a latch connected with a loose partof the transverse feeder whereby the weight of a cartridge will causethe latch to be released from the catch, and a connection between thetransverse feeder and the catch device whereby the movement of thetransverse feeder disengages the breech-blockholding catch and allowsthe breech-block to be thrown forward, substantially as specified.

6. In an automatic machine-gun, in combination, a movable barrel, aframe attached to and movable with the barrel, a breech-block movablebackward with the barrel and frame, a recoil-block connected with thebreechblock, a yoke loosely connected with the frame and breech-block, aspring-shaft, a toggle connection between the spring-shaft and theframe-yoke, a catch forholding the springshaft with the spring undertension, a transverse feeder for receiving cartridges and carrying theminto line with the breech-block, a catch for retainingthe transversefeeder in position to receive cartridges, a latch connected with a loosepart of the transverse feeder whereby the weight of a cartridge willcause the latch to be released from the catch, and a connection betweenthe transverse feeder and the catch that retains the toggle connectionwith the breech-block spring under tension whereby the movement of thetransverse feeder releases the breech-blocl ,substantiall y asspecified.

'7. In an automatic machine-gun, in combination, a movable barrel, aframe attached to and movable with the barrel, abreech-block movablebackward with the barrel and frame, a firing-pin and extractor-fingersborne by the breech-block, a hammer, sear and hammerspring carried bythe frame, and a trigger borne by a part connected with the breechblock,substantially as specified.

S. In an automatic machine-gun, in combination, a movable barrel, aframe attached to and movable with the barrel, a breech-block movablebackward with the barrel and frame, a recoil block connected with thebreechblock, means for moving the breech-block backward when the barreland frame move forward, a transverse feeder having a part pivoted to thecase and a shelf with a part that is fixed to and a part that is looselyconnected with the main portion of the feeder, a latch connected withthe movable part of the shelf, and a catch adapted to engage the latch,substantially as specified.

9. In an automatic machine-gun, in combination, a movable barrel, aframe attached to and movable with the barrel, a breech-block movablebackward with the barrel and frame, a firing-pin and extractor-fingersborne by the breech-block, a hammer, sear and hammerspring carried bythe frame, a trigger borne by a part connected with the breech-block, arecoil-block connected with the breech-block, a yoke loosely connectedwith the frame and with the breech and recoil blocks, a springshaft,anda toggle connection between the spring-shaft and the frame-yoke,substantially as specified.

10. In an automatic machine-gun, in combination, a movable barrel, aframe attached to and movable with the barrel, abreech-block movablebackward with the barrel and frame, a recoil block connected with thebreech block, means for moving the breech-block backward when the barreland frame move forward, a firing-pin borne by the breechblock,extractor-fingers carried by the breechblock, a lever pivoted to thebreech-block and engaging the extractor-fingers and the firingpin, ahammer borne by the frame, a sear carried by the frame, and a triggercarried by a part connected with the breech-block, substantially asspecified.

11. In an automatic machine-gun, in combi nation, a movable barrel, aframe attached to and movable with the barrel, a breech-block movablewith the barrel and frame, a recoilblock connected with thebreech-block, means for moving the breech-block backward when the barreland frame move forward, a transverse feeder for receiving the cartridgesfrom the feed-passage, and a gate closing the feedpassage and adapted tobe moved therefrom by the backward movement of the breech block,substantially as specified.

12. Inanautomaticmachine-gun,incombi nation, a movable barrel, a frameattached to and movable with the barrel, abreech-block movable backwardwith the barrel and frame, a recoil-block connected with thebreechblock, means for moving the breech-block backward when the barreland frame move forward, a transverse feeder for receiving the cartridgesand carrying them into line with the breech-block, a catch for retainingthe transverse feeder in position to receive cartridges, a latchconnected with a loose part of the transverse feeder so that the weightof a cartridge will cause the latch to be released from the catch, and agate for closing the cartridge-feed passage, said gate being opened bythe backward movement of the breechblock, substantially as specified.

13. In an automatic machine-gun, in combination, a movable barrel, aframe attached to and movable with the barrel, a breech-block movablebackward with the barrel and frame, a recoil-block connected with thebreechblock,a yoke loosely connected with the frame and breech-block, aspring-shaft, a toggle connection between the spring-shaft and theframe-yoke, a catch for holding the spring- I shaft with the springunder tension, mechan isms for releasing the catch, and a crank-handleloosely mounted on the shaft with a slot-- and-pin connection betweenthe crank and shaft, substantially as specified.

14:. In an automatic machine-gun, in combination, a movable barrel, aframe attached to and movable with the barrel, a breech-block movableback with the barrel and frame, a yoke loosely connected with thebreech-block, a yoke loosely connected with the frame, a connectionbetween the breech-block and the frame-yokes, a spring-shaft,rocker-arms projecting from the spring-shaft, rods connecting therocker-arms and the frame-yoke, a catch arranged to engage and hold-therockerarms with the spring under tension, and means for releasing thecatch from the rockerarms and allowing the breech-block to be thrownforward, substantially as specified.

15. In an automatic machine-gun, in combination, a movable ba'rrel, aframe attached to and movable with the barrel, a breech-block movableback with the barrel and frame, a yoke loosely connected with thebreech-block, a yoke loosely connected with the frame, a rod connectingthe breech-block yoke with the frame-yoke, a spring-shaft, a toggleconnection between the springshaft and the frame-yoke, a catch forholding the springshaft with the spring under tension, mechanisms forreleasing the catch, a firing-pin borne by the breech-block, a hammerborne by the frame and adapted to be cooked by the backward movement ofthe breech-block, and a trigger borne by the rod connecting thebreech-block yoke with the frame-yoke, substantially as specified.

' 16. In an automatic machine-gun, in combination, a movable barrel, aframe attached to and movable with the barrel, a breech-block movableback with the barrel and frame, a yoke loosely connected with thebreech-block, a yoke loosely connected with the frame, .a rod connectingthe breech-block yoke with the frame-yoke, a spring-shaft, a toggleconnection between the spring-shaft and the frame-yoke, a firing-pinborne by the breechblock, a hammer borne by the frame, a trigger borneby the rod connecting the breech-block yoke with the frame yoke, atransverse feeder pushed outwardly by the backward movement of thebreech-block and thrown inwardly by a spring, and a shaft having afinger adapted to be engaged by the inward movement of the feeder and afinger that engages with and holds the toggle connection with the springunder tension, substantially as specified.

17. In combination with the feeding, loading and firing mechanisms of anautomatic machine-gun, a case formed with a trunnionband and abutt-plate with ribs extending from one to the other, undercut groovesformed in said ribs, and removable panels fitting and sliding in saidgrooves, substantially as specified.

FRANK M. GARLAND.

Witnesses:

HARRY R. WILLIAMS, E. J. HYDE.

